Cisse gets licence points before court wishes him good luck in relegation battle

A magistrate wished a Premier League striker good luck in a crucial relegation battle after endorsing his licence with four points and ordering him to pay more than £500 for motoring offences.

Newcastle United number nine Papiss Cisse admitted the tinted front nearside window in his black Range Rover was too dark when police stopped him in the city centre in February 2015. It was so dark, police told him to drive with the window down.

The prosecution said officers found at the time he held a licence issued in Senegal which would allow him to drive in the UK for a year, but he had been driving here about three years.

He was advised by police to take a test in the UK, Sue Baker, prosecuting, said.

Police stopped him again in May and July, once in his Range Rover registration DC0009 and once in his Bentley registration PC0009, he was still using the foreign licence.

Cisse, 30, admitted three counts of driving other than in accordance with a licence.

Nigel Hedley, defending the player who lives in Darras Hall, Ponteland, Northumberland, said there was some confusion over his driving licence, which he said had actually been issued in France.

He has since been on holiday to France and passed his test there.

Mr Hedley asked magistrates not to endorse his client’s licence with any points.

But chairman of the bench Carolyn Hyslop gave him four points.

He was allowed 10 days to pay a £440 fine for the tinted window and licence offences, £85 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

At the conclusion of the case, as Cisse stood up to leave the wooden benches in the court, Mr Hedley invited the magistrates to wish the striker good luck for the match tomorrow.

Newcastle United play Swansea City at home, in a game they look to have to win if they are to escape relegation.